Bangladesh’s ‘Banalata Sen’ in the main competition at a Kerala festival

Kerala is one of India’s most beautiful and prosperous states, renowned globally for its Malayalam cinema. It is also home to a major cinematic event: the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). The 31st edition of this festival is set to begin on December 11 and will run until December 18.

The Bangladeshi film Banalata Sen has secured a spot in the main competition of this year’s festival. This was confirmed by the film’s director, Masud Hasan Ujjal. Fourteen of the best films from Asia, Africa, and Latin America will compete in this category, with the winning film receiving a prize of 2 million Indian rupees.

The international competition lineup also includes Padayatra, the latest film by legendary Indian director Adoor Gopalakrishnan; Gugu’s World by Brazilian filmmaker Alan Debertin, a winner of two awards at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival; Silenced Nights, a political drama by Filipino director Lawrence Fajardo that was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival; Mexico’s I Am Mario; and the Iranian film Slumber, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival.

Director Ujjal remarked, “I had almost assumed that, much like the poet Jibanananda Das himself, his Banalata Sen might never receive the recognition and acclaim it truly deserved. Consequently, I didn’t give much thought to such festivals. Now, by securing a place in the international competition section of the 31st International Film Festival of Kerala, Banalata Sen has begun its global journey. What a strange irony! I believe that if Jibanananda Das were alive today, he would certainly have understood this irony.”

Inspired by the timeless poem Banalata Sen by Jibanananda Das, the film explores various facets of the poet’s life. Masuma Rahman Nabila plays the titular role, while Khairul Basar portrays Jibanananda Das. The cast also includes Sohel Mondol, Najiba Bashar, Priyanti Urbi, Rupanti Akid, Sharif Siraj, and Sumaiya Khushi.
-    NS